


The Knight

by MatushkaRossiya



Category: The Shepherd Series (Books) - Ethan Cross
Genre: Craig is still alive, Fanfiction, M/M, alternative universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-12
Updated: 2017-08-12
Packaged: 2018-12-14 10:55:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11781702
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MatushkaRossiya/pseuds/MatushkaRossiya
Summary: Francis and Craig are hunting down a former patient of Ackerman senior, but something unexpected is happening.





	1. The Knight

**Author's Note:**

> This is just a small drabble of a scene that stuck in my head for a few days. It's now almost a year old but I felt like I should really post it some day...  
> Bare in mind that this takes place in an alternative universe, where Craig is still alive and somehow with Francis (please don't ask me about the details. It's wild and full of plot holes so...yeah).  
> The unknown man is called 'monster' - in this AU, one of Ackerman seniors former patients, brainwashed into a loyal servant. Their goal (yes, there are more) is to kill Marcus Williams and his son Dylan.  
> I somehow doubt that this will find any readers but please...if you're reading this right now: please leave a comment!
> 
> Bare in mind that I'm a Francis/Craig shipper but here it's just hinted. I had the idea for this one, after reading a writing prompt...it's pretty short.  
> Warning: English isn't my mother language.

The Knight

 

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He fucked up. He really did; but this would probably be his last mistake, because right now he looked into the barrel of yet another gun, someone aimed at his face. 

Francis laid on the floor of an abandoned warehouse and watched the gun the monster pointed at him. A weak smile creeped onto his face as he thought about the moment he made this bad decision.  
Only two weeks ago another monster of his father injured his shoulder - again. And still he thought he could take on this target. Everything went according to his plan, he even took Craig with him, and still - he underestimated his own physical limits. 

The pain in his shoulder was bearable, but not the lack of speed and coordination coming with it. Craig cleared the way so Francis could chase his target while his partner was still occupied with some of the others.  
Francis found the Monster - a former patient of his father, big guy, pretty intelligent, one or two traumatas from the second Iraq war (funny, the similarities to Craig), but no challenge...usually; but he was sloppy when he tried to disarm the soldier, slow, without his usual strength and determination and after he has hit his temple, the monster took advantage of a temporary vulnerability. He smashed his fist directly into Francis face, and kicked against his leg - probably with all his force because Francis felt something shatter and instantly new that his femur was broken.  
He fell down, couldn't stand up with a broken leg and well...now he looked into the barrel of a gun. How...embarrassing.  
In fact, he would have wanted to die in a battle against someone strong enough to overpower him while he was at his best; this was a little different.

Francis straightened himself and his smile widened more and more, growing into an ugly miffed smirk. "Congratulation. You defeated me...and now do what you have to do." His eyes looked a little more tired than usual but the wild smile stayed. Craig would probably be pretty pissed off...but whatever. It was actually pretty exciting, facing his death.  
The monster opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but decided otherwise and tensioned the finger around the trigger. "Your father sends his regards. He instructed me to kill your brother, but I'm pretty sure he'll be happy to hear that I eliminated you too...really I thought this would be harder. I heard so much about you and your skills." The man smiled a little, something that made Francis' blood boil with fury. He was better...well, usually. "...after I'm finished here, I will probably kill your companion out there, too....- oh, come on. Don't look at me like that."  
Francis has clenched his teeth forcefully when he mentioned Craig. This makes him angry because it was his fault that the monster was still alive.  
"Try it, he will kill you first." "Oh, how scary..." the man in front of him cocks the gun. "Any last words? Don't worry, I will let your friend know how you died and that you begged for his life." He blinked his eyes knowingly and straightened his right arm. "Good Ni--" 

Francis jerked back when something hit the monsters head and send him flying. Well, this was surprising.  
He turned his head and saw Craig standing over the other man, looking down on him, his expression almost frightening; Francis has never seen him THAT angry.  
The monster immediately searched for his weapon, but Craig was faster. Right before the other one could reach it, he took the gun and threw it at the other end of the warehouse. The next second he knelt down without a word, grabbing the man forcefully by his neck and started to swing at the defenseless man.  
Francis watched. It was...fascinating, exciting, almost arousing, the fury, as Craig beat the other one into a bloody mess. Even after the monster stopped moving, he didn't stop. His face and fist blood splattered - a rather intriguing picture. 

He stared at Craig while he aimed a last powerful hit at the open, broken skull. Slowly his partner stood up again, now looking down on him. Neither of them said anything, they just stared at each other - the situation was so oddly intimate, both were at a loss of words.  
Francis not even dared to breath any deeper, while looking into Craig's eyes.  
His partner took a step forward and he instinctively jerked back, breathing a little heavier now. He wasn't afraid of him, but still...there was something about Craig right now.  
His friend dropped his gaze on to his bloody hand and Francis was sure to see the fury kindled back.  
"I'm...not your Knight in shining armor." Craig's voice was low and more throaty than usual, but he could still hear everything loud and clear. "My armor will be black with the blood of your enemies... That's a promise." His eyes were fixed at Francis frame again. "...that's...a promise." He repeated in an even lower tone, as if he wanted to emphasize every word. The silence after them was nearly palpable, it actually felt like years before Craig spoke again. "Can you stand up?" Francis shook his head slowly and looked away. "My...leg is broken." He managed to say out loud but his mind still swirled around what was said to him before. This...was so different than any other time, Craig said something personal. "Help me up, please." Francis reached out to his friend and waited until he pulled him up and supported him while he tried to stand on his healthy leg. 

The words still repeated in his head. 'My armor will be black with the blood of your enemies. That's a promise.' - It felt good - Francis smiled a little as he hobbled out of this warehouse. Maybe he will ask Craig about it later.


	2. The Surgeon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's get Francis stitched up again!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is also over a year old and it's even more cringey and snippy than the chapter before...hope you still enjoy it.

They sat in their car - Craig behind the stirring wheel and Francis next to him. Neither of them had spoken a word since they've left the warehouse, both of them had to think about one or two things. Francis absent mindly massaged his broken leg and tried to concentrate on something else than the unnerving pain vibrating through his body.   
Now that his adrenaline level dropped, his mind cleared a little and the pain came back with its full intensity. "I hope it hurts. You were foolish earlier." Craig whispered after some time with a short glance at Francis' severed leg. The other man only smiled and sighed affirming.   
"Of course it does. Have you ever had a broken leg?", Francis has closed his eyes, trying to avoid any unnecessary movements. "and thanks for stating the obvious. I know I made mistakes.", they fell silent again and Francis opened one eye, just to see if they were near their fiduciary doctor. He has never needed a surgery before and the idea of someone else slicing him open made him a little uneasy - his memories instantly went back to his father when he thought about it. 

Francis groaned a little when he felt Craig stopping the car, and opened both eyes. They were somewhere on the countryside - their Doctor preferred a lonely neighborhood - in front of an old farmhouse.   
Francis opened the door and hefted his broken leg out of the car, but he still had to wait for Craig. Without him he wouldn't be able to move anywhere.   
Craig grabbed Francis by this upper arm and pulled him out of the car. "Come on...this can't be that difficult." "Shut up or I break your leg too.", his mood has dropped massively, since they've arrived and now he had to climb stairs...wow. His friend obviously thought the same, because he sighed aggressively as he saw the stairs in front of them. 

"You gotta be kidding me. You're never able to climb those.", he turned towards Francis and groaned annoyed. "For your own safety, I hope you'll never mention this...", and with those words he grabbed his waist with one arm, and the other he used to lift up Francis' legs.   
This...was awkward. The serial killer never expected to be carried like this, but this day seemed to get weirder by the second. He examined Craig's profile and chuckled lowly. "...what a beautiful husband you are.", Francis smiled amused and saw a vein twitching on Craig's forehead. "Another word and I drop you, asshole.", Francis ringed the bell, his partners hands were occupied after all - they waited a few seconds until they heard someone cursing inside the house and the door opening just a few inches. "You again...I told you, I'm out of business." "You're lying. Open your door, or my friend will kick it in.", the elderly man grimaced. "Have I ever told you, how much I detest you, Ackerman." "Often enough, my dearest friend.", and after another curse, he let them in. 

Craig carried him into the house while the doctor just stood there, with a confused expression. He looked back and forth between both men and furrowed his eyebrows - well, this was a surprise. "Who is this?", the doctor asked waryly. "Your...friend?", no one has ever accompanied Francis before.  
"Yes...a friend.", he showed a thin smile that was most terrifying, the doctor winced and nodded immediately. He knew to not ask any further, but by the way the big one held Francis it was most obvious that this seemed more than a normal friendship and probably they shared more than a common criminal past. How was this even possible? One of the most ruthless and infamous serial killers got a boyfriend and he himself still couldn't find a girl. This world was indeed cruel.  
"okay so...it would be better to continue our conversation in my basement.", he walked over to an armoir next to the staircase and opened a hidden door inside that led down into a self-made cellar. "Be careful. It's a little strait in there.", the doctor informed them, so Craig won't hit his head on the ceiling, when he descended. 

The basement itself was a room 20 feet in a square, with a surgical table in its middle, a small metallic cupboard and some I.V. poles next to it. "So...by the way you're carried, I assume something happened to one of your legs, am I correct?", the doctor asked while putting on something that looked like the cheap version of surgical clothings. He gestured at the table after he put a drape over it. "It's my left leg. My femur is broken.. Can't locate it exactly...", He sat down on the table, after Craig put him down and tried to undress his pants without moving his leg. Francis looked at the doctor. "Your shirt too...", the killer frowned immediately but followed the advice. He didn't want an infection, so it was probably better this way. Still, it was an unwelcome feeling, being exposed like that.   
"Can we do it without an anesthesia.", Francis asked with a short glance towards Craig. "I don't care about the pain." The doctor lifted his head. "Are you insane?! You will probably move around too much and then...well...it's not a good idea to do that without anesthesia. I need your muscles to be relaxed. Don't worry, I won't give you the whole nine yards." 

Francis stiffened slightly and wasn't happy with this answer - he hates being drugged. "Don't worry...I will only use Diclazepam.", the doctor took an injection and a venous catheter out of a drawer. As Francis saw the things, he immediately turned towards Craig. "Stay here...", this whole ordeal gave him such a bad feeling. Like his father experimenting on him. "...just in case.", he saw Craig nodding slightly and after a while he laid back on the surgical table again. The doctor walked around Francis and grabbed his elbow. "I don't have X-ray equipment here. Will have to cut open your whole upper leg to find this fracture...I will just...", he poked a needle directly into the crook of his arm and inserted the catheter. "And for god's sake...just stay still already." Francis was so restless, but without another warning, the doctor took the injection and gave him the shot. "Calm down and wait..."  
It took only a few seconds until Francis felt more relaxed and a little dizzy. He wasn't used to this kind of anaesthesia, and so he nearly felt it's whole effect. His body slacked on the table and only by sheer force of will he could keep open his eyes. Francis searched for Craig but couldn't focus enough and wandered of to the Doctor who stood there with a belt in his hands, saying something. He watched him tighten it around his upper leg - probably a blood arrest. Relaxing again, he let his head fall back on the table, while his fingers searched for something to hold on. 

He closed his eyes for what felt like a second, but when he opened them again he could see his open and bloody leg - did he pass out? Probably.   
Francis groaned while his mind wandered off again, thinking about the most surreal things. Memories, long forgotten and his imagination, twisted together...and in the end he heard Craig's voice in his head again. This is a promise. 'This is a promise.', he was unaware, he said those words out loud until someone came into his focus. "Craig...", even his voice seemed far away. Again his fingers started searching, but this time they found another hand they could grab and hold on to while a sharp pain flushed through his body.   
He didn't know what happened, but right now the doctor tried to fixate the fracture with some bolts. Francis almost groaned painfully, nearly crushing the foreign hand.   
Only moments later the doctor gave him another shot and he passed out completely. 

After opening the eyes again, it took a few seconds until he realized that he still laid at the surgical table. Were he alone? His head felt heavy and Francis still had his problems thinking straight. He tried to straighten himself on the table, but it felt like an impossible task; obviously his body was still weakend by the anaesthesia.

"Up again?", the familiar voice was somewhere to his right side. Francis turned his head and looked at Craig, who sat on a small folding chair next to the wall. "How...long...", Francis voice sounded throaty, and his mouth felt awfully dry. "5 hours since the second injection.", Craig looked tired, like he had just woken up after a nap. "my...leg feels like a squished mess.", he licked his lips and tried to move a little. No, not yet possible. "Have you stayed here the whole time?", he asked with slightly furrowed brows. "Yep.." Craig has laid back his head against the wall and has closed his eyes again. "The whole fucking time. Hell...i'm tired." - Francis fell silent again and stared at the ceiling. He was unable to make head nor tail out of his friends behavior - or so he thought. He cleared his throat and searched for the right words. "Why...have you rescued me. I just can't understand.", Francis felt Craig's gaze upon him and instantly regretted his question. Did he really wanted to understand the reason?   
He almost hasn't expected an answer anymore, but suddenly his partner started to speak. "I...don't know. I wish I'd know why I rescued an asshole like you...but...", Craig sighed annoyed. Francis wasn't sure if the reason was the question, or if Craig was just angry at himself. "...but it made me unbelievably angry to think about you getting killed by...by this lowlife.", both of them fell silent and just looked at each other. "So...you care about me?", Francis felt like screaming inside. Why would Craig say something like that. "Well, obviously I do care about you, happy?" his friend snapped back. "I killed a man for you, drove you in the boondocks to get you stitched up again and stayed by your side the whole time - does this look like a fun afternoon to you? Probably not. I have better things to do, than saving your ass. But, guess what smart ass, I care about you.", Craig exhaled exhausted and slumped down on the chair. Francis however felt something deep inside screaming for him to say something meaningful. To thank Craig. To tell him what this means to him, but the only sound escaping his throat was something between a laugh and a sob. He stared at his partner in disbelief feeling a little teary after all. It was almost embarrassing, how emotional he was - probably just a side effect of the anesthesia but still annoying.   
"I...I'm happy Maggie held me back, back then.", he said contextless. Francis thought about that one time, 3 years ago, he nearly killed Craig. "You know...it's actually nice to have a friend. I would have regretted...killing you...", he sighed deeply and decided to keep his mouth shut for a while. He just talked himself into trouble. They both knew there was something else going on between them, more than mere friendship - no need to speak it out loud.   
Craig fidgeted around on his chair; good god, this situation made him uneasy. He hated speaking about his feelings. Especially with Francis, but he pocketed his pride and came closer to the table. "How...ehm...are you feeling...", he saw the confused expression on Francis face and hummed annoyed. "...not about me, about your fucking leg.", Francis attempted a smile and nodded shortly after. "Hurts, but...okay." Craig examined the bandaged leg and helped the other man sit up. "Are you alright?" "Just a bit dizzy, don't worry Mom..." "I liked you better drugged.", the bigger man watched the other one's face turning into a grimace. "...I still am.", Craig sighed loudly and lifted Francis from the table. "Can you stand?" "I can try.", His legs felt like jelly and with every step, a blinding pain ran from his upper leg into his back.   
With a pinched mouth and Craig's help, Francis managed to walk under his own steam. Together they climbed the stairs, only to be greeted by whiskey drinking doctor. "You're already awake? Interesting...", he handed out a small receipt to Craig. "The bill. Debts of honor, probably. Go now..." he showed them the door and waited for them to leave. He waited until they'd shut the door behind them, just to shake his head and taking a gulp straight from the bottle. What an odd pairing...


End file.
